Fighting for Freedom
by reef rider
Summary: In a society thrown into chaos, 15 year old Tara fights to survive in a world with out adults. She tries to live the life of a normal teenager, while the pressures of friendship, love, and her older brother bear down on her. (Bray's Sister)
1. Chapter One

Hello there all you wonderful people... here's my story. Everyone know's the deal... I don't own anything from The Tribe, but I do own Tara, and any of the new character's you don't recognize... ENJOY! And if you feel spontaneous gimme a reply!

Reef Rider

CHAPTER 1

He looked around the back section of the room that she had claimed as her own. Nothing. He looked in the bathroom. Again nothing. Next up was the café. Still nothing. By the time he was done the entire mall had been searched, and there was still no sign of the 15-year-old anywhere. "Where could that girl be?" Bray asked himself. He had told her not to leave the mall. Not now, with the Chosen regrouping again. He had specifically told her not to leave the mall, not under any circumstances. She would be protected inside the mall; no outsiders would dare show up there. But outside the mall, outside was a jungle. And the regrouping chosen followers would do almost anything to have the divine sister as their hostage.  
  
The music blared through out the entire club. The intoxicating beat filled their bodies, it seemed that the dance and the song would never end, she didn't want it to. She felt his warm, sweaty body up against hers. They started to get entangled with each other. The beat speed up some, there was no stopping her now, the only thing that she was concentrating on was the beat of the music. This night was defiantly one of the best nights she had had in a long time. The music, the lights, the drinks, and the guys. Everything in this building was making the night perfect. Oddly enough the busyness of the club was relaxing, but also intoxicating at the same time. The song started to end, she decided that she needed a glass of water. With one last look at the nameless, handsome guy she was dancing with she walked away, leaving him alone in the crowd of enthusiastic dancers.  
  
"There will always be someone else," she said out loud, unsure of who the comment was aimed for, herself or the guy on the dance floor who had already found another partner. As the petite girl worked her way up to the bar to get her water she scanned the room for her next partner. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from, but there has to be someone who will fit the role. She gave up as she got to the bar. "Taking a break?" asked Cody, one of the bartenders, as he passed a cup of water over the bar. "Looks like your working it hard out there."  
  
But his comment was ignored because she had spotted a hottie on the other side of the room that was perfect for her pickings. She put her water down and started walking over to the young man who had caught her attention. As she got closer she noticed the tribal markings on his face, they weren't like anything she had seen before, but she didn't pay much attention to it, there were lots of tribes around the city, there was no way she could know them all. Next she checked out his clothes. They were a manlier version of her own. Jeans, not as tight as her own and a full length white T-shirt. Very plain, and very sexy, and almost identical to her own ensemble, except that her shirt was long sleeved, sheer white and was just low enough to just show her midriff. The two made eye contact and he knew instantly what she wanted, a dance. He walked towards her and took her hand and led her on to the dance floor, the beat started to speed up and once again both minds were caught up in the rhythm of the music.  
  
Their minds were so focused on one thing they weren't able to recognize anything that was happening around them; they didn't even notice the man walk up behind her. A pair of strong hands came down on her shoulders; she didn't know what to do, scream, run, stand still, turn around, what should she do? Then came that very familiar voice "I've found you Tara, and your coming home with me. Now say good bye and walk out the front door."


	2. Chapter Two

CHAPTER 2  
  
Tara turned around to face her oldest brother. "Bray, I'm not leaving, I'm having a good time here." She turned and started to squirm out of his grip on her shoulders. She wasn't going to let this interruption ruin her good time. As she took a step forward Bray's grip tightened, a slight shock of pain went through her body. "I'm seriously not in the mood for this tonight Tara." She took a step backwards and he loosened his grip, she looked up at the guy she had been dancing with, "Um... I'm really sorry, but I have to go. I hope I see you around some time."  
  
Tara knew there was no point in trying to disobey her brother, it would only end up in a fight, and she would most likely be on the loosing side. The guy nodded and gave a quick smile before Bray pulled her off of the dance floor, past the bar, and out the front door. "I can't believe you did this again!" He screamed at her once he had pulled her out side the club. "How many times have I told you not to leave the mall?!? It is way too dangerous, do you know how many chosen lunatics would love to get their hands on you?!?" In the process of his ranting Tara had backed herself up against the wall and was trying to cover her ears with her hands. "I... I... I wasn't think..." "You never think!" He yelled at her. Bray suddenly stopped the lecture, he had gone on long enough, and it suddenly hit him how irrational he was being. "Come on, let's go back to the mall" he said sternly as he grabbed her arm and had her walk in front of him. She nodded, noticing that he had defiantly calmed down some, but she knew that she wasn't off the hook yet, there would probably some more to talk about tomorrow morning.  
  
They walked back to the mall in silence. Once they walked in she noticed a few of the other mall rats were still awake in the café. "Why are they still up?" she asked herself, "It must be almost 3 in the morning." As the two siblings got closer she realized why these mall rats were still up. "They were out looking for me" Tara whispered, just barely loud enough for Bray to hear. The group of four was sitting around a table, obviously waiting for Bray to show up with or with out Tara. As the two walked up the stairs bray addressed the small group. "Lex, Pride, Ryan, Jack. You guys can go to bed now, she was down in sector 5 at The Ghetto, thanks for helping." "No problem man, see you in the morning," Ryan answered back as they all shuffled off to their rooms to get a few hours of sleep before the sunrise.  
  
As Jack passed by Tara he shook his head, there wasn't anything that he could say to his best friend at this time, he was almost ashamed of her. As Jack passed by Tara she felt the pain of guilt run through her body. She tried to walk towards him, she wanted to explain to him why she hadn't told him where she was going, but once again she felt Bray's grip on her shoulders pull her back, away from Jack. She looked up at her brother and the only thing he said to her was "Bed. Now." She looked down and followed his instructions. "Ya, I know" Was the only reply that Bray was given. 


	3. Chapter Three

CHAPTER 3  
  
Matthew walked into the old school that his tribe had claimed as their own only a few months ago. Everyone was asleep; that was everyone except the few guards that were wandering around the school making sure that no outsiders enter in. He looked up at the huge clock that the tribe had fixed that hung right above the entrance; it was almost 3:30 in the morning. "Dude, where have you been?" asked one of the guards, Jacob. He was dressed in a red shirt and brown pants and had the mark of their tribe on his forehead, a simple blue star that was outlined in yellow. "Around." Was the one word reply that Matthew gave him. Jacob didn't pay much attention to the shortness in Matthew's voice, he knew that he was probably tired and didn't want engage himself in a long conversation at this hour.  
  
As Matthew left Jacob and the other guard at the front door his mind started to wander to the girl he had met that night at the club, he knew she was a mall rat from the tribal markings on her face, but that didn't bother him at all. The dance that they had shared was wonderful, "Until that guy showed up," Matthew said out loud. He wondered if he would ever see her again. He had barely spoken to her, but the essence around her was overwhelming, it was almost like he was breathing her in. "It was a wonderful experience," he thought to himself as a smile spread across his face.  
  
He opened the door and walked into his room. He gathered up his clothes to take a shower, and remembered her last words to him, "I hope I see you around sometime". As he started the warm water he was thinking to himself if he ever did see her again what would happen, and if anything did, would it work out? "It's would be odd to see a mall rat and a new chosen follower together" Matthew said to himself as he climbed into the shower. 


	4. Chapter Four

CHAPTER 4  
  
The next morning Jack woke up thinking about Tara. "I should've said something to her" he thought to himself. But as soon as the thought went through his head the anger that filled his body the night before returned. "I'm her best friend! I tell her everything, and she's supposed to tell me everything! That's the way it's always been. It's like some unwritten rule!" As soon as the words leaked form his mouth he realized how stupid he was being. "There has got to be some reason why she hasn't been telling me what she's been doing," he thought to himself.  
  
As soon as he got dressed he headed out to Tara's room to speak to her about the previous night. He started walking down the hallway and when he got to the old jewelry store that Tara had claimed, and redesigned, as her own he remembered something that made him feel stupid for forgetting. About a week ago Bray had dragged her from her beautiful room kicking and screaming, forcing her to mover her bed and belongings in with him, so that he could keep a closer eye on her. Jack couldn't help but laugh as he remembered the scene that Tara had made.  
  
_ Tara had tried to sneak into the mall around 4:30 that morning. She had gone out the previous night and ended up staying out way too long, yet again. This had set Bray off, he had told her time and time again to not leave the mall, but every time she blew him off and did what she wanted to do. When he caught her sneaking in they started yelling at each other, and by the time Bray had sent her up to her room they had woken up almost every person in the mall. The yelling had lasted about 45 minutes and when they were done neither of them felt any better. Later that afternoon Bray had decided what he was going to do. He headed off to get Tara out of her room and when he got there she was ready for him. Before he had even taken one step into her room she was heaving stuffed animals, dirty clothes, rocks, and even rolled up pieces of paper at him. Some how she knew what was coming and she wasn't going to allow it. Surprisingly enough with all the screaming and yelling coming from Tara's mouth, and the object's flying from her hands Bray didn't stop. He walked right up to her grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her out of her room down the stairs and onto his own bed, where he locked her in for the next few hours, so she could cool down._

Jack laughed out loud at the memory; she was such a feisty girl, totally unlike him, which is probably why they got along so well. As Jack neared the room that Tara and Bray shared he heard screaming and yelling coming from both ends. Jack turned around and headed for the café. Right now wasn't the time for a chat. 

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So, are you guys liking it? Should I continue? Gimme a review! 


	5. Chapter Five

CHAPTER 5  
  
"Bray, you can't do this to me!" Tara screamed at her brother. Bray had been lecturing her all morning about the dangers that lurk outside the mall. "It isn't fair!" she said with a huff, "You can't keep me locked up in here all day and night, a person can go crazy being lock up in this stupid mall for all eternity!" "Oh, but I can keep you here, just watch me. And don't act like you have no freedom here at the mall. You can go anywhere you like, do anything you wish, you just have to do it inside the mall." Bray yelled back.  
  
"Why doesn't she understand?" Bray thought to himself, "It's so dangerous out there, anything could happen to her, if only she knew..." "Bray.... Bray! Earth to Bray!" Bray was suddenly snapped out of his daydream, and brought back to the current situation. "Last time I checked we were in the middle of a heated argument, and I actually want to finish it!" "Well, you're in luck, because this conversation is almost finished." "What is that suppose to..." Tara started to question him, but he interrupted her. "Listen to me, this conversation is finished, you, my dear, sweet, LITTLE sister, are staying in the mall, and that is the final answer, no matter what you have to say about it." Bray got up to leave; he was finished arguing, and wanted something to eat.  
  
He stopped when he heard his sister yelling at him, again. "Bray don't you dare leave! You have no right; this is a new world, a world where kids make there own decisions! You have no power over me. You are not my father!" As the last words fell form her lips Tara couldn't believe what she had just said. She looked up at her brother as he spun around to face her. The anger that filled his eyes was unmistakable; he started to advance on her. Tara started to back up against the closest wall, she had made her brother mad before, but she had never seen that look in his eyes, and she had no idea how he would react. As she felt her back touch the wall Bray was still coming towards her. When she realized there was nowhere to retreat to she sunk down to the floor and curled up in a ball. "That's right Tara, I'm not your father! But do you want to know where our father is Tara? That's right, he's dead!" Tara looked up at her brother from the ball she was hiding in, he was standing about a foot away from her, and his face was filled with rage. She wanted to say something, but he wasn't finished yet.  
  
"He is dead, along with our mother, and all the other adults in the entire world! And do you want to know something? Even when our parents were alive who was at home taking care of you? That would be me! Our parents were never home Tara! They were always busy with their jobs, friends, and late night activities to come home and take care of their youngest child! So I took care of you, me, and Martin. We made sure that your homework was finished, you had eaten, and had brushed you teeth before you went to bed. Just so when our parents got home they could go into your room give you a goodnight kiss and then go to bed themselves. So right now Tara, I am the closest thing to a father you have!"  
  
Bray stepped away from Tara and stared to take deep breaths. He looked down at her, she was still curled up in a tinny little ball, but now she was obviously crying. He didn't know what to do, he meant every word he said, but he didn't want her to cry. He knelt down to look at her face to face. When he realized that she wasn't going to look up, or say anything to him he scooted his body over next to hers and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned on him and started to talk. "Everybody who was close to me has died. Mom, Dad, Tia-San, Amber, and even Martin. Bray, everyone is gone. I thought it would be ok the three of us, You, Martin, and me. But then Martin went all crazy, and died, and now it's just the two of us. I feel like I'm all alone!" Bray sympathized with her; he had many times himself felt like soon he would be alone in the world. But now he felt like it was time for Tara to know the truth. "Tara, I have to tell you something, sit up." She pulled her self up and look him strait in the eye. "Tara, it's about Martin." Bray stumbled with his words. "Tara... Martin, he's... still alive."

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So, should I continue? Is anybody reading?


	6. Chapter Six

Here's another chapter... hope you enjoy!

Thanks for the review Golden! I really appreciate it... On to the story...

CHAPTER 6  
  
"Hey Tar, hungry?" She looked over at Trudy who has holding out a bowl of dry cereal for her to take. Tara just nodded and took the bowl. "What's up with her?" Trudy thought to herself. She knew Tara and Bray had gotten in another fight this morning, but that was nothing uncommon. But the look on her face was like... like... Trudy couldn't put her finger on it. "Maybe Bray really let her have it this time" she contemplated the thought, then discarded it. She looked at the younger girl who had taken her spot at the table with Lex on one side, and an empty seat on the other, which should be Bray.  
  
"Where's Bray at?" Trudy asked the group sitting around the table, even though the only one who could really answer for sure would be Tara. Tara just shrugged her shoulders and stated "He'll probably be up in a little while." "You didn't beat him up too badly did you?" asked Lex asked jokingly. Tara just looked at him and shot him a weak smile, before going back to her cereal. "Hey, kid, are you ok?" asked Pride "You look like death warmed over" Tara's head shot up at the word 'death' "What did you say?" she snapped at him. "Whoa, calm down, I just wanted to know if you're ok. We could hear you and Bray seriously yelling all the way up here, and then you come up here looking like you've seen a ghost or something, and I was just a little concerned. All right?" Pride's tone of voice on his last two words was pretty stern, and Tara decided maybe it was time to lighten up.  
  
"Oh, ya, sorry. Um... I just got in pretty late last night, as you already know, and I'm really tired, just been zoning a bit. I'll probably be less 'out of it' later this afternoon when I really wake up." Tara looked Pride strait in the eye and was very grateful she was so good at lying. "Why don't you go take a nap, and we'll wake you up if anything important happens" Trudy told Tara. "Thanks Trudy, I'll do that. See you guys later."  
  
She started to walk towards the room that she shared with Bray when she heard Lex call for her. She turned around to see what he wanted when she remembered that Bray was still down in their room. "Why don't you use my room for a while, Bray probably wants some peace." "Thanks Lex!" Tara shouted before heading off in the direction of his room. "Oh and if anybody sees Jack, tell him I need to talk to him, please!" She yelled back in the direction of the café. "No problem!" was the response she heard before walking through the door to Lex's room, collapsing on his bed, and falling asleep.


	7. Chapter Seven

CHAPTER 7  
  
Matthew has slept well that night, after his shower he fell into a deep sleep with thoughts of the mysterious mallrat in his mind. "I have to see her again," he thought to himself, "Maybe I should go back tonight." Matthew started making planes of how he would get to the club that night. There was only one problem, "I have guard duty tonight" he whispered out loud as he was thinking of who he could get to fill his spot at the front gate. "Melline? No, she had duty two nights ago. Jake? Possibly, I'll have to pay him though. Brad? No. Less? No..."  
  
As Matthew was spouting off names inside his head someone started to knock at his door. When there was no reply the person started to knock louder, and soon the knocks had transformed into pounds, until Matthew eventually realized that there was someone at his door. "Oh! Hold on a minute! I'm coming!" Matthew shouted as he was buttoning up his shirt. When he opened his door he saw his fellow tribe member and friend, Nathen, standing there looking kind of concerned.  
  
"Matt, he wants to see you." Matthew looked at Nathen; he didn't know what to say. The only thing he could manage to sputter out was: "Did he say what he wanted me for?" Nathen shook his head no. "But he wants to see you right away." Matthew nodded, letting Nathen know that he understood. "Thanks, I'm on my way." With that said Nathen headed back from where he came from, and Matthew was on his way down the long corridor to The Watcher's office.  
  
The Watcher was in training to be the next Guardian when the chosen had been defeated the first time. When the Chosen had regrouped and started to changes things about their tribe that had been before, everyone decided that Kevan would be the one that would lead them as their new Guardian. But when he had accepted the job he made it very clear that they would not the known as 'The Guardian', he would be their new "Watcher'.  
  
Kevan had changed the tribe in many ways. They would not wear the clothes that they had been accustomed to. That had put fear in the hearts of the city people, and their lives would be in danger if they paraded around the city in their blue robes. Not only clothes had been changed, but also tribal markings, and how they dealt with things. There was a new rule within the tribe, no member was allowed to use any type force on another human being, except for The Watcher, and Zoot. But there was one thing that had not changed, and that was what the Chosen based their lives on.  
  
That one thing was the worship of the almighty Zoot. Who had appeared to his Chosen members not that long ago, and who now used The Watcher as his ambassador to his faithful followers. Zoot rarely came down from his room to speak to his followers, but when he did it was always important. "Is that why The Watcher wants to see me?" Matthew asked himself "Maybe He has a message from Zoot, or maybe Zoot wants to talk to me." With that last thought Matthew opened the door to the Watchers office and stepped inside, making sure to shut the door behind him.

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	8. Chapter Eight

CHAPTER 8

_**She felt the pain ripple through out her body as she was pushed on the ground. "What's wrong now?" The older bullies stood above her taunting her "What? No big brothers around to save you this time?" The one that looked like the oldest took a step forward and kicked her in the stomach. She screamed out in pain but that only made the boys laugh. She tried to get up and run, but there was seven of them, and only one of her.  
**_  
_A few weeks ago after school Tara had seen a bunch of older kids picking on two younger ones. The older group was trying to get something from the younger boys, but Tara couldn't figure out what it was. Most likely money, that's what most fights where about these days. She wanted to run up and tell them to back off, but she was only 13, and these boys looked like they were probably 15 or 16.  
  
Tara looked around from the bush she was hiding behind she didn't want to attract their attention, but she knew she needed to help the younger boys. Tara looked around trying to see if there was any adult around that she could run to for help, nobody. She looked back over at the group of boys, the two younger ones were now on the ground the older ones were now throwing rocks at them, as well as kicking them. In an instant Tara knew what she had to do. "HEY! Over here! You guys better leave them alone! I'm going to tell an adult!" Before she had finished her sentence Tara was running as fast as she could, with the older boys right behind her.  
  
She turned a corner and continued running down an outside hallway. She knew Martin and Bray would be walking down this way any second, they always did. This walkway is usually where they picked her up after school, Bray and Martin went to a school a few blocks away from Tara's, and everyday they met up and the same spot and continued walking home together. As Tara's legs kept on pumping, and she ran right into Bray and Martin. As she looked up at her brothers and hid behind them as the boys came barreling around the corner. They looked at Tara's brothers and started to turn around and walk away. But before they were completely gone one of them yelled back "Watch it little girl, you never know when we'll show up!"  
_  
_**They kicked her again and Tara was snapped back to reality, the throbbing pain that was echoing through out her body had also returned. She screamed out again, but this time she didn't stop. She continued yelling for help, and the blows came down harder and harder. She reached up to cover her face and felt blood. She started to cry. She shouldn't have gone out for a walk.  
  
She told her brothers that she'd be home almost 30 minutes ago. Maybe they would come out looking for her. She hadn't traveled that far from home. Suddenly Tara couldn't breathe; one of the boys had kicked her back and had knocked the wind out of her. She felt her head start to go black. She took one last look up at her attackers, and as she did she saw her two brothers, and two of their friends start to pull the boys off of her. Then everything went black...  
**_  
Tara shot strait up in bed, she couldn't figure out where she was, someone was holding her. She looked around, scared to death. "Where am I?" she finally screamed out. She looked up at the person who was holding her, it was Jack. She looked around the room and realized where she was. "Lex's room." Jack had confirmed her suspicion. She looked at the end of the bed; Bray was sitting there. "Again?" He asked her. He knew that she had been having the dream of her attack for the past few days, but she had never reacted to it like this before.  
  
The entire tribe had heard her screaming, and came running. Bray knew instantly what was wrong. He had shooed everybody out of the room, except for Jack. Bray knew Jack would be a comfort once she woke up. "Yes," she answered him, "but this time it seemed so real, it was like I could really feel the pain all over again." Bray looked over at Jack, who was still holding Tara. The look of confusion on his face would have been laughable in any other situation.  
  
Bray had told Tara not to tell Jack about the incident. She had wanted to tell him, after all he was her best friend, but Bray didn't want him to know that his brother's gang had beat up Tara, it would hurt him too much, or at least Bray thought it would. Bray looked at his sister and saw her eyelids start to flutter, she was about to pass out. Jack noticed it to and tried to stop it, but Bray reassured him that it was all right. Once Tara was out of it again Bray placed a cool cloth over her forehead, and had Jack come out into the hall so he could talk to him. Jack made sure the door was still open a crack so that the two guys could hear everything that was going on in the room. Jack looked up at Bray as he started to talk. "Jack, there's something that Tara and I haven't told you..."


	9. Chapter Nine

CHAPTER 9

When Matthew had shut the door behind him he looked around the office. His suspicions were correct. Zoot was there; he was sitting at the Watcher's desk with the Watcher standing behind him looking like a wallflower. "Please sit," Zoot waved to the chair that was in front of the desk. Matthew obeyed and sat. "I have called you here today because I have a very important task for you to complete for me. So I will get started. As you well know I have informants, or spies as you might call them, that roam around the city taking down everything that they see, then, at the end of the day, they report back to me. I have these spies because I myself cannot walk freely around the town with out confusion and shock circulating around the city, at least not until the time is right."  
  
Matthew nodded in agreement, but thought to himself "Why is Zoot telling me this? What does this have to do with me?" And almost as if Zoot was reading his mind he began to talk again. "Now, one of my informants saw you last night at a night club known as 'The Ghetto', is that correct? Where you there?" Matthew nodded yes. "Good. My informant also told me that you were dancing with a girl from the mallrat tribe. Is that also true?" Matthew nodded again, wondering where Zoot was going with this. "This girl, she was around the age of 15, had shoulder length brown hair, and told you that she hoped to see you around sometime." Matthew nodded again, but this time he decided to speak up, "yes, I was dancing with a mallrat last night, and she was around the age of 15, but what does she have to do with this?" Suddenly, from out of nowhere the Watcher decided to step forward and speak up.  
  
"Do not question Zoot, you have no right! He does not have to..." "It is all right Kevan, you don't need to react like that, just stay out of this." The Watcher nodded and mumbled 'yes' as he returned to the wall that he had previously blended into. "Now, as I was saying, I need you find this girl again. From what I was told she seemed interested in you, and I want to play off of that." "But why..." Matthew started to ask a question, but decided against it. "Let's just say that girl is very important to me, and I would give anything to have her in my possession right now. So, what I want you to do is go back to that club every night and look for her, and when she shows up I want to you to bring her here. I don't care how you get her here, just get her here."  
  
Matthew didn't quite understand what was going on, and now seem like a good time to ask his question "But that guy that showed up, he didn't seem like he wanted her there, and he looked pretty determined that she wasn't going to go back." Zoot started to smile, not because of what Matthew had just said, but because he started to remember his sister. He could just picture the fight that went on in the club between her and Bray. She was such a feisty girl, so sure of herself, always doing what she wanted to do, even if she got in trouble for it afterwards. "Trust me, she will be back. And when she show up you must bring her here."


	10. Chapter Ten

CHAPTER 10  
  
After her little incident Tara had been told to stay in bed for the next few days, and for once in her life she listened. The only movement that she had made in the past 48 hours was the short journey between Lex's room and the one she shared with Bray. She was suppose to be sleeping, but most of the time she just laid there thinking about Martin. So many questions were running through her head.  
  
"What would he do if we saw each other? What would I do? Is Bray lying to me? Would Martin really hurt me? Has he changed? Is he really as dangerous as Bray says he is?" Tara knew there was no way that she could answer everything that was running through her head, but it seemed like there was no way to stop it. She had tried to talk to Jack a few times over the past two days, thinking that talking to him would make the thoughts go away, but Bray had told her not to tell him anything about Martin, and that's exactly what she wanted to talk to him about.  
  
Every time she started to talk to Jack about anything important Bray would come into the room, and they would have to change subjects. She had even tried to talk to him about the dream that she had had, but that wasn't working out either. It was obvious that Bray had told him, and it seemed like Jack didn't want to talk about it again. Suddenly a sharp pain short through Tara's leg, "cramp, cramp!" She shouted to herself, as she massaged it out. Once the muscle was relaxed again Tara decided that she needed to take a walk to Jack's room, "I have to talk to him" she whispered in desperation to herself, "I need to get this off my back".  
  
As Tara was getting dressed she was completely unaware of the guard that was sitting out side her room, listening to every move she made. "Don't I look fabulous?" Tara asked her reflection in the mirror. Her shoulder length hair was so knotted up and frizzy that she decided that it would be easier just to put in up in a pony tail rather than try to comb it out. Next was her make up. All of her tribal markings were either gone, or so smudged that you couldn't tell if she belonged in the mall, or the sewers. "This just will not do" Tara said as she started to redo her markings.  
  
She took the red liner and replaced the mallrat sign on her right cheek, next was the silver squiggle mark that belonged next to her left eye. Then the last thing she added was the three small ovals that went horizontal across her forehead right above her nose. The two on the out side were golden, and the one in the middle was silver. "Now I'm ready," Tara said to her reflection once again as she started to leave the room.  
  
Once she stepped through the doorway out into the mall it's self she was stopped by Pride. "Where do you think your going?" "I don't think you need to know" Tara snapped back, he had only said one sentence to her, but already she didn't like the direction this conversation was heading. Pride put his hand up to stop her and answered back "Bray asked me to wait here until he got back, and make sure that you didn't go anywhere while he was gone. So just turn around and go back to bed. You still don't look too good." "For your information, I'm not leaving the mall; I'm just going to talk to Jack. And I'm feeling fine! So, just get out of my way." Tara's tried to enforce her last comment by pushing Pride out of the way, but he only grabbed her hands and turned her around so she could walk back into the room. "I'm sorry Tara, you're going to have to wait till Bray gets back to talk to Jack, because he told me not to let you go anywhere, so you are going to stay in this room and sit tight."  
  
As Pride finished his sentence Tara ripped her hands away from his and pushed her body into his as hard as she could, making him stumble backwards. She was going to talk to Jack; she didn't care what anybody said otherwise. As she was walking rather quickly out the door she felt Pride grab her around the waist and lift her up, the next thing she knew she was on her bed and he was yelling at her. "You are going to stay in this room! I do not care if that is what you had planned for this afternoon, but your planes have changed. You are in no condition to be fighting me right now, you are too weak. So just sit down and shut up, and take it up with your brother when he gets back, because I am only doing what I've been told to do." Pride started to walk away and Tara just sat there, she didn't know what to say.  
  
Pride had never yelled at her like this before, it was quite a shock. Almost instantly Tara' s confusion turned into anger, and she opened her mouth to say something. But as she did Pride turned around "And don't even think about trying to leave again, because I'll be sitting right out side this door, waiting for you". At his last sentence he turned around and was gone. When Tara thought Pride was out of hearing range she yelled at the spot where he was just standing "TREE HUGGER!" and to her surprise a response came back "I heard that! And don't say it again!

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are the new chapters any good? Tell me what you guys think! Thanx for the comment PadFootCc!!!


	11. Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER 11

Jack walked up to the café still laughing. The scene of Pride and Tara was still playing in his head. Jack was on his way to see if Bray was still in the mall, but before he had turned the corner he heard Tara and Pride yelling at each other. Jack had watched the scene from a distance, making sure neither of them would see him watching the scene. "She's crazy," Jack thought to himself as he sat down at a table. "Whenever she wants something she's determined to get it."  
  
"What are you laughing about?" Asked Salene with curiosity filling her voice. "Oh, just Pride and Tara. Tara wants to leave the room, but Bray told Pride not to let her go anywhere." Salene started to grin at the picture that was starting to form in her mind. "And as you know, our dear loveable Tara doesn't like being told what to do, and when somebody tries to tell her what to do she does the exact opposite." Salene was now laughing as Jack was telling the story, "Yep, that sounds exactly like Tara."  
  
Salene's laughing was now lowered to a slow chuckle, and she was finally able to talk. "Why does she want to leave anyway? I thought she wasn't feeling too well." "She's looking a bit better, and she's obviously got some of her strength back, but I think she's just getting sick and tired of laying in that room. And, I think she wants to talk to me. We haven't talked for a few days, and I think she needs to get something off of her chest."  
  
"Who's that?" asked a voice from behind Jack. "Bray!" yelled Jack as he jumped almost two feet in the air, "Don't just sneak up on us like that!" "Oh, I'm sorry, did I scared you?" asked Bray pretending to be innocent. "Just a little" scowled Jack as he got up to get himself some lunch. As Jack got up Bray remembered the question that he had asked before anyone had realized he was in the café. "Who was it that you guys were talking about?" "Just Tara," Jack replied. "You might want to go talk to her." "Why" Bray asked, already knowing the answer.  
  
This time it was Salene's turn to talk "Well, she uh... She tried to leave the room, and ended up making Pride really mad. And... well, they started yelling at each other, with most of it coming from Pride's end. And you might want to go down there and smooth things over." "Jeez! Nothing can be easy with her!" Bray was starting to get mad with his sister, "she can never do anything that is asked of her," Bray thought to himself. "All right, thanks for the info guys" Jack and Salene nodded, "no problem, anything to help"  
  
Jack and Salene burst into a fit of giggles and their last sentence, they could just picture the new fight that would develop between the two siblings once Bray entered the room. "Oh! Bray," yelled Jack as Bray was heading down the stairs to his room, "when you two are done I need to talk to her." "Right" Bray yelled in reply as he stepped into his room and Tara started screaming at him. "She just doesn't give up," Jack thought to himself.

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Sorry about the long wait guys... Hope you enjoy this chapter! Gimme a review, please!


	12. Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER 12  
  
"Bray! You said I could go anywhere inside the mall that I wanted! Anywhere! And then you just take it away!" Bray couldn't believe this was happening again, he was always fighting with his sister, there was always something that needed to be discussed, and they could never do it rationally, they always had to be yelling at each other. "Tara, I had Pride guard you because I didn't know what you would do while I was gone. You hardly ever listen to me, and I know that you haven't been eating properly, and after the shock about Martin you are too weak to be going off by your self again. And honestly, I'm tired of going out and searching the city for you night after night. So I made sure that while I was gone you would stay here." Bray sat down, exasperated, he had spent all morning out in the city looking for food for the tribe and had found nothing.  
  
"You are out all the time! Are you just going to have somebody guard me all the time when you not around to do so yourself? That wouldn't be fair, you're always around the city doing things, fulfilling your role as tribal leader! So if I have to stay in my room every time you leave the mall then you aren't keeping up your end of the deal. If I have to stay locked up in this place for 'my safety', and then I get free rein of the mall, that's what you said. And I'm not going to let you forget it."  
  
"You're right Tara, I'm sorry, today was the last time I'll do that, but you have to stay in the mall, no matter what. Deal?" Tara sat thinking about what her brother had just said. "He'll get off my back," Tara thought to herself, "And why not make him happy?" Tara reached out her hand to shake her brother's. "Deal" Bray said as the two shook on it. "For now anyway" thought Tara. Bray got up to leave satisfied with what the two had agreed to, and as he started to leave the room he remembered what Jack had said. "By the way, Jack wanted to see you". "Ok, thanks! If you see him tell him I'm just going to change and I'll be right up to see him." "Sure!" was the last thing Bray said to Tara before he started to get swept away in his thoughts.  
  
"That was too easy, she's planning something. No, she seemed really sincere. But she never just gives in like that." Bray couldn't figure what it was that had seemed weird about Tara's willingness to solve the situation, but he decided that he would keep his eye on her anyway. "It just it's like her to say she'll do something, then go out and do the opposite." Suddenly Bray was flat on the floor face first; he had tripped over something, but what? He heard giggling come from under the stairs, and soon Mouse appeared. She ran over as Bray was starting to pick himself up off the floor, grabbed the roller-skate that he had tripped over and started to run away. Before she could get away completely Bray reached over and grabbed her. "What do you think your doing? This is not the way to have fun around the mall, it's too dangerous, and you should know that"  
  
Bray was being stern with the young child, and tears started to well up in her eyes. "Now don't cry, your not in trouble, just don't do it again. OK?" As soon as Mouse found out that she was in no trouble she perked up slightly and when Bray had released her from his grip she was off again looking for something else to do with not another though to Bray and the roller-skate. "Crazy kids" thought Bray as he headed off to find Salene. He needed more help searching the city for food, and Salene or Ryan seemed like the perfect candidates for the task

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so how's the chapter? I know they're few and far between, but i'll keep updating, so stay with me!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER 13

As Tara was sitting in her room crying, unsure of what was going on around her, Jack was up in his room completely confused about what had just happened. Tara had come into his room to talk. Jack thought he knew what it was going to be about, his brother. But she started to talk about her brother, Martin. Jack thought she was completely crazy. She was going on about how he can't tell anyone that she was telling him this, especially Bray. And how Martin is still alive, which is completely impossible. Jack was more shocked than anything... "How could he be alive?" Jack questioned himself. "I saw Lex push him. No, it's not possible, Zoot is dead."

Jack was so confused, so many thoughts were running thorough his head. "I shouldn't have done that. Why am I such an idiot?" Jack started to think about what had just happened in his room.

_"Tara, it's just not possible, Zoot... I mean Martin is not alive. He's dead you should know that." Jack couldn't' get it thorough her head that Martin was not alive. "NO! Jack, he is alive, Bray told me! Why do you think he want's me in the mall all the time?" "Tara are you still sick? You don't look too well? Have you eaten today?" Jack couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, she was going crazy. "I'm fine! Why aren't you listening to me?" Tara couldn't figure out why Jack was doing this, she was spilling her guts to him, once again disobeying her brother, and he was treating her like she had turned into a 5 year old child. "Tara, listen to me, Bray wouldn't tell you that Martin is still alive, because he's not..." "But he IS, Jack, listen to me..." "No Tara, you listen to me," Tara couldn't believe this was happening, why was he treating her like this?_

_"Bray did not tell you that Martin is alive, and he is keeping you in this mall because it is not safe out side. With the chosen regrouping they need a symbol figure. They lost their Guardian, Supreme Mother, Divine Child, and their god, Zoot. And they would do anything to have the divine sister in their grasps. That would be you! They want you, Tara, because Martin loved you, you were his baby sister, and the chosen recognize that. They don't want Bray because Martin despised him; Bray is nothing to them. And Bray wants to protect you from that. That is the only reason why you are not allowed to go outside. NOT because Martin is alive."_

_Tara felt tears well up in her eyes, "Jack... but you... why are you doing this?" "I am not doing anything Tara, it is you who is bring this upon yourself. You have been bored stuck up in that room for the past few days, and you need attention. So you make up a story about Martin, and how he is back. And this story would bring you back to people's attention, make them know that they shouldn't for get about you. But Tara it's not going to work, because I know that Martin is dead, I saw it! HE IS DEAD!"_

_Tara couldn't take it, "NO! He didn't die! He was in some sort of trance, or meditation, or whatever you want to call it! He washed up on the shore and he lived with some tribe in the woods, until he could travel back to the city! And now he's back!" "Tara! What is wrong with you?" Jack was starting to get extremely frustrated with her. There has to be something wrong. "Are you ok?" "I AM FINE! Stop asking me that!" "It's just that you don't look to good," Jack was trying to think of some sort of excuse for why Tara was acting this way. "Have you eaten today?" Tara sat there thinking about where Jack was going with this. Then she thought about the last thing that she had eaten... "No." "Well, when was the last time you ate, or had any sort of substantial meal?" "That has to be it," Jack thought, "Malnutrition, it could make a person a little off balanced." Tara sat there, not wanting to answer Jacks question, she knew that he would over react, and tell Bray, and she didn't want that to happen._

_"I dunno." "That's BS, you do to!" Jack yelled at her, he needed her to answer this, it was the last strand of hope he was holding on to, it has to be malnutrition. "Answer me!" "I DON'T KNOW!" "You do too!" "Fine! Yesterday!" Jack couldn't believe it; he didn't want to think that Tara was doing this just for attention, or that she was really crazy or something, but if she had eaten recently, then malnutrition couldn't be the answer. "Tara, I think you need to leave. I need..." Jack wasn't even able to finish his sentence before Tara was already running out of the room._

Jack still sat on his bed, engrossed in his thoughts and Tara still lay on her bed crying. "I don't know what to do," Tara thought to her self, "Things are really messed up this time." Jack heard some body pass by his room, the boots on the floor snapped him back to reality. "I need to talk to Bray, there's something wrong with Tara..."

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thanx so much for being pantient guys! Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em comming! Hope you enjoy!


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